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From Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri
Alleged tuition fee hike proposal by the management of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Effurun, in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, has sparked protest as students in their numbers barricaded the ever-busy East-West Road and all access routes to the university’s campus.
The protest, which kicked off in the wee hours of the day, caused heavy traffic jams in the area.
The students bearing various placards with inscriptions, chanted solidarity songs and danced along the ever-busy highway to draw attention to the alleged increase in tuition fees.
But reacting, president of the Students Union Government (SUG), Edemakiota Etiosa, distanced the union from the demonstration.
In a telephone conversation with our correspondent, he said: “No, we are not part of the protest. I have spoken with the students and asked them to calm down.
“I have already communicated their grievances to the management, but it feels like both sides have put me in the middle. Honestly, it’s exhausting.”
Speaking in a separate telephone call, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ezekiel Oghenenyerovwo Agbalagba, who said he was in Abuja, described the protesters as “faceless individuals” who were not recognised by the SUG.
On the issue of alleged tuition fee hike, he said the university management was still in discussions with the students union, regarding the proposed fee review, and no decision has been finalised.
“We have held about five meetings with the SUG on the issue of reviewing charges, but we have not concluded. Someone apparently got hold of a draft document from our discussions and circulated it online as the new school fees. That information is false,” Prof. Agbalagba explained.
He added that all negotiations were temporarily suspended until after the ongoing examinations.
“We agreed to resume talks next week after exams. This morning, I heard they blocked the road, but even the SUG president has disclaimed involvement. These people are unknown to us. I am releasing an official memo in the next few minutes to clarify the situation.”
Prof. Agbalagba also dismissed viral social media claims about finalised fees, describing them as politically motivated attempts to discredit his administration.
“Those posts online are not from the university management. Some individuals may be trying to exploit the situation for their own interests. We know the proper dialogue channel and the SUG is aware of where discussions ended,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor further disclosed that students were expected to conclude their examinations tomorrow, adding that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was planning to commence a strike next week.
“If we do not manage this properly before next week, the situation could worsen,” he cautioned.
